For Satanists, the practice of and successful application of Satanism's tenets and observations was, as they are born and not made, already a part of their lives. Before reading TSB, they were/are de-facto by their very natures. Tried ,true and correctly applied one could say. They never needed a codified approach to the life they were living and may have even already developed something quite akin to Satanism all on their own. Intellectually, yes, but the human animal is much more than just a brain directing the vehicle toward food, fuck and shelter. (Nothing spiritually intended by that last statement)As LaVey correctly pointed out, the acceptance of a thing intellectually was a far cry from accepting it emotionally. His solution -answer to that evolutionary gap was Satanism, but how many Satanists practiced Greater magic before The Satanic Bible?The Templars, Masons, and other various orders throughout shared history point to the existence of the tradition long before 1969. The concept was recognizable within many of these orders and groups as early as the former aforementioned.The expelling of emotional waste that might otherwise clutter one's life is an indispensable asset in today's society. When existing options are limited to either paying exhorbitant fees to a trained professional or crying, whining and bitching to spouses, friends or family;Satanism appears to offer a refreshing approach to cathartic therapy.But do all Satanists practice Ritual Magic? Speaking for myself, I can only offer that my own experiences with said practice have been limited to the employment of such being motivated by a desire to explore rather than expel. In other words, I wasn't doing it to relieve myself of any "burden" , as it were, rather, I chose to indulge in the "magic". Therefore, I could say that I was, in a sense, creating more so than attempting to rid my environment of any existent "refuse". Leaving intellect at the door of my ritual chamber, I have been quite exhilirated to discover that raw directed and focused emotion can be an extremely "religious" experience! Would anyone care to share their thoughts, opinions and/or experiences concerning their own brushes with Greater Magic?

Greater Magic is discussed in a greater extent in the Members Only forums.

But I will say this: Emotional frustration is something that everybody deals with. For most, the results are failed marriges, lost jobs, physical abuse, any number of compulsive disorders (to name just a few).

Society in it's present state does not offer much in the way of benificial emotional release. Religion ignores it, phychology teaches us to cope with it, but only Satanism utilizes it.

Emotions and desires are not going to go away by repressing them as society teaches us to do.

Many people disregard the Greater Magic aspect of Satanism because they doubt that it works. The rest of Satanism is so grounded in logic and common sense, they they don't see how such silliness could possibly be benificial.

Well, lets say that it doesn't work. At the very least, it will make you feel better about whatever issue you might be having, if only for a moment.

After all, what does one have to lose (beside your soal of coarse)?

If a person has any Magical ability whatsoever, and they put as much energy into a Ritual as they did into thier worry, the results may suprise them.

I know there are many who don't. But to them, I would say: don't be so quick to dimiss the whole idea. Granted the Satanic Bible isn't some sacred tome, but (as I've said before on these boards) I do find it very strange that somebody would adopt a religious title for themselves and then reject the second half of that religion's "bible", let alone have never performed the standard ritual.

>Leaving intellect at the door of my ritual chamber, I have >been quite exhilirated to discover that raw directed and >focused emotion can be an extremely "religious" experience!

I certainly get the urge to ritualize once in a great while, if for nothing other than the psychodrama that organized ritual offers. As the Satanic Bible says, "man needs ceremony and ritual, fantasy and enchantment." If people don't get it from religion, they get it from other sources: watching a sports team, getting absorbed into a music sub-culture, video games, etc. I've always noticed that there seems to be a disproportionate number of sci-fi fans among self-described "atheists", and I don't find this to be surprising.

I was practicing organized ritual long before I'd stumbled across Satanism. What I like about the Satanic Bible is that it cuts through all the bull and gets down to what works. It explicitly brings forth the concept of "entering the subjective state objectively". And as far as spells/wish-granting is concerned, instead of breaking everything into "green candles for money spells", "rose oil for love spells", "blue gemstones for respiratory problems", etc., it just goes right to the heart of the matter: what's the inner most primal emotion at work here? Compassion, lust, or destruction? Also, I had my share of bad experiences in the ritual chamber (nothing metaphysical of course, but just psychological). I found that this happened when I didn't follow the "rules": stepping in with some kind of goal, having a distinct beginning and end to the ceremony, etc.

Since we are on the subject of greater magic I thought that I might use this thread to post a question that I have been pondering for a little while now.

I am living in a single bedroom apartment with thin walls. I having been really interested in practicing greater magic but I have been having difficulty finding a suitable location. For me to really use all of my emotion it would take a complete and uncluttered room dedicated solely to rituals. I would end up yelling and playing loud music and hitting loud drums. I realize that sometimes half a loaf of bread is preferable to no loaf at all so I could do with out some of these things but it seems that in my apartment situation I would have to accept hardly even half a loaf and tone it down to a mere talking voice and half a room, most likely my bathroom, which to say the least is not the most stimulating environment. I have a feeling this would be a big detrement to my ritual so I have yet to attempt it.

I am curious if anyone else has encountered this problem and if so how they dealt with it.

First and foremost, Bill,I would like to offer you my respect. Your posts, this one included, are consistently free of pretense. I agree with you.I too was ritualizing before discovering that I was,indeed , a Satanist. With tangible results. I discovered something along the lines of the Lust ritual on my own. Of course it wasn't the exact version published in the TSB, but the concept was clear to me just the same. At twelve years old, I began to shower in the early mornings before going to school. The objects of some fantasies were quite probably still fast asleep, hence my discovery of this rituals magical potential. As far as ritualizing in general, I wasted no time devising my own , quite effective, rituals, tailored toward my own emotional desires.My own experiences have included an extreme change within the chamber, namely the smell , taste , and (although more rare) audible sound of an electricity-like sensation. Ever hear of or experience anything similar?

I too have a similar situation. I make do by having a protable alter. A few candles, my coffee table, and whatever else I need for that particular ritual. I perform the ritual in my mind. The imagination can be quite a powerful tool.

>First and foremost, Bill,I would like to offer you >my respect. Your posts, this one included, are >consistently free of pretense.

Thanks!

>My own experiences have included an extreme change >within the chamber, namely the smell , taste , and >(although more rare) audible sound of an >electricity-like sensation. >Ever hear of or experience anything similar?

I always incorporate these senses into the creation of my environment, by playing background music, having an elixir, etc. So with these senses preoccupied, I can't say that I really detect anything additional. Though I've certainly heard of such things happening when people enter a subjective state.

I think the magic in the satanic bible was brilliant because it works even if you are a non-superstitous person. It was a new way to look at magic and I love it. I have tried one ritual (compassion) using things I already had I though was right. ANd it worked haha. I knew it woudl though.

There were many things I'd been doing for most of my life that I never realised were "lesser magic" until I read The Satanic Bible. As for "greater magic", well... what I may or may not have done before becoming a member is my own personal affair, however I will say this:

That it being integral to LaVeyan philosophy to acknowledge magic where magic has aided you in achieving something... aligning yourself with the Church of Satan by becoming a registered member should go without saying.

Quote: My own experiences have included an extreme change within the chamber, namely the smell , taste , and (although more rare) audible sound of an electricity-like sensation.
Ever hear of or experience anything similar?

May I jump in here? When I enter the ritual chamber and truly put my all into what I'm doing, I experience many strange things. I've felt as if I were floating outside my body and I've heard humming, or the sound of wind blowing. I've "seen" black shapes on the walls. Now, before everyone suggests I visit the nearest head doctor, I'd like to suggest going through this website here. This is really quite common and is, in my opinion, the reason believers in the God religions have similar experiences when worshipping at home or in a sanctuary.